Bomb attack plot: Indian-American doc convicted

An Indian-origin doctor has been found guilty of carrying out a revenge attack in the United States in which a top medical official was severely injured.

Randeep Mann was convicted by a federal jury of plotting the bomb attack in February 2009 against chairman of the Arkansas state medical board, Dr Trent Pierce in retaliation for his ongoing problems with the board, in which the top official was severely injured.

He was also found guilty of obstructing the investigation, possessing nearly 100 grenades found near his residence and possessing an unregistered machine gun, Arkansas Online reported.

The attack blinded Pierce's left eye, disfigured his face and impacted his sense of hearing and smell, besides other injuries.

According to prosecutors Mann orchestrated the February 4, 2009 bombing as he was furious over being reprimanded for over prescribing painkillers by the board.

The attack occurred weeks before a new investigation was to begin against Mann over allegations that he continued to prescribe painkillers even after his permit was lifted.

Mann's wife Sangeeta was also found guilty on a count of obstructing investigation.

The attorney for the eastern district of Arkansas, Jane Duke, called the victim, the 'true hero' of the case.

The defence attorney said he would appeal the convictions on grounds of lack of evidence.

The doctor's defence said there was nothing that tied Mann forensically to the cache of grenades or the bombing and that the case was built only on circumstantial evidence.

Mann was arrested a month after the attack when a cache of grenades was found near his residence. He was charged for planning the bombing in January this year.